You probably know that before the advent of modern chemical dyes we relied upon plants for making dyes. These dyes came in a surprising array of colors, though they tended to be more earth toned and less bright than our modern dyes. Nonetheless, plants can produce an amazing array natural dyes in highly versatile colors. The wonderful thing about plant dyes is that the colors are rich and multifaceted. As a result, they fluidly pair well with each other much more so than the pure colors of chemical dyes.
What you might not know, is that there are tons of good dye plants that you either are already growing, or you could be growing in your garden. They are not all obscure, ugly, or difficult to grow. Today we are going to highlight some easy to grow dye plants that double as edible or ornamental, and often both!
The list of plants that can be used for dyes is almost endless.
Different plants require different extraction and preparation techniques. They can also be widely variable in terms of fade proof-ness and longevity. Colors that were historically very expensive, like purple, are hard to achieve using plant dyes.
If you wish to experiment with dying using plants, we recommend doing some research on the techniques for each individual plant. Sometimes heating the dye changes the color. It can also be modified by altering the pH and using different additives such as iron. This is how one plant can create a range of colors. This is also part of what makes it so much fun to experiment with.
It is also worth noting that your results may vary depending on what material you are trying to dye. Plant dyes typically work best on natural fibers. Sometimes they work on most any natural fiber, sometimes they work best either on plant fibers like cotton, or animal fibers like wool.
The end result can also depend upon how the material was prepared. It is often recommended to use a mordant to help get your dye to stick. Mordants are water soluble chemicals that help dyes to adhere to the fibers and are typically metallic salts. What mordant you use can alter the final dye color. Now let’s get to the plants!
The first plant on our list is mint.
That’s right, that delicious, fragrant, menacing herb not only makes fantastic ice cream and tea, it also makes a wonderful dye. Mint is super easy to grow and very versatile. It prefers moist soil and can be aggressive in the garden. So, if you do plant mint, it is typically recommended to keep it in a container. Because mint loves water, it can also be used in an ornamental pond. Mint will produces green/teal as a dye. If you add iron it will produce a rich smoky gray that we absolutely love.
Dyers Coreopsisis another one of our favorites.
You are likely familiar with it. It is a common and widely available annual flower producing an abundance of yellow and red flowers from spring till frost. Coreopsis is tough, heat and drought tolerant. It is also very easy to save seeds from. We like to grow this plant in cheery swaths. Fresh or dried flowers are used to make dye. It will make dyes ranging from yellow to red orange.
Black walnuts.
While this one is not so much a planted ornamental, it is something that can be very easily foraged in many places. Black walnut trees can be a good addition to a food forest. The caveat with walnut trees is that they can be harmful to some livestock (particularly horses), and some plants will not grow near walnut trees.
Black walnut husks are extremely high in tannins and do not typically require any kind of mordant or special preparation to use. They make a very rich, warm brown dye that is very color fast and long lasting. If you add iron to your pot, walnuts can produce rich blacks.
Next up is goldenrod.
Goldenrod is another plant that can often be easily foraged, however there are also some very nice ornamental goldenrods available that are worth having in your garden for their exquisite fall color. Goldenrod is an incredibly broad group of plants with species adapted to almost any environment, including salty, windswept barrier islands. Since goldenrod only blooms in the fall, you will need to harvest and use the flowers in season or dry them for later use. Goldenrod is known for making bright, sunny yellows or greens if iron is added.
Sulfur Cosmos.
Though this plant in many ways produces “duplicate” colors to the plants listed above, it is such a fantastic garden plant it is still worth mentioning. Cosmos are easy to grow, drought tolerant and readily self-seed. Given the opportunity they will produce swaths of cheerful bright orange blooms in exchange for very little effort on your part. Sulfur cosmos blooms can be used to produce dyes of yellows, oranges and reddish tones.
Moving on to some beautiful plants that produces some of the harder to obtain colors we can grow.
Black hollyhocks.
Hollyhocks are a biennial (or short-lived perennial). They are very tall plants that produce massive flower spikes. While hollyhocks are fairly easy to grow, they can be very prone to developing a rust problem. If you are in an area where this is a problem, consider growing them behind other plants that can cover their ugly leaves while still allowing you to enjoy their flowers.
The black petals of this plant can produce a wide range of colors depending on things like mordants, pH and what material you’re dying. They can produce colors ranging from blueish shades to greens and grays and sometimes purples. Keep in mind that anthocyanin-based dyes such as this one are notorious for being short lived and fade quickly, particularly in the sun.
Hopi Red Dye Amaranth is another anthocyanin based dye that you can grow.
As its name implies, it was used by the Native Americans as a dye plant. Amaranth is very easy to grow and is highly versatile in the garden. It is a gorgeous maroon plant that works well in floral arrangements. Amaranth is also useful as a vegetable, and the seeds are edible if allowed to flower and mature. Additionally, if you plant it once and allow it to drop seeds, it will likely return next season. Hopi Red Dye Amaranth produces colors ranging from pink/red to orange.
Native Americans also used Hopi Black Dye Sunflowers.
This particular sunflower is also a highly versatile garden plant. It is a multipurpose plant that produces gorgeous large yellow flowers followed by large edible seeds. You can enjoy the blooms, eat the seeds and then use the leftover seed hulls to make dye before discarding them. These sunflowers can produce shades ranging from lavender to gray and even black. Just like the above two plants, these are also anthocyanin dyes and will not be as long lasting as the earlier plants on our list.
Though these are the only plants we are going to mention today, this is far from an exhaustive list. If you have plants in your garden that produce rich vibrant colors, there is no harm in experimenting. You might discover something you love!
If you would like to read more articles about plants growing in your garden, please sign up for our newsletter!
Please remember
The information provided is for general informational purposes only. All information on the site is provided in good faith, for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. We make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of any information on this Site. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of professional advice. THE USE OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK. View full disclaimer here.
